Crossing Over
by khambilo
Summary: Set between season 5 and 6 of Buffy - Buffy receives a new charge and the crew of Serenity gets a mysterious package.
1. Chapter 1

**CROSSING OVER - PART 1**

**Disclaimer: Firefly and Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Etc.**

* * *

"Wake up," was the first thing I heard. The voice was full and rich, kinda like warm-chocolate-melting rich, but I suppose that makes it sound like it was a '70s PSA narrator, so ix-nay on the chocolate metaphor and let it suffice to say that the voice was….full…and rich.

But the first thing I saw was a bit more difficult to explain. You know how the movies show the afterlife as a big white glowing room? Well, that's not really much of an exaggeration.

And I guess that's when I put two and two together and realized I was dead.

I was dead.

Wow.

Being dead was strangely nothing new to me. After all there was that whole incident with the Master, but I was really only dead for a minute or two, and I suppose that really didn't qualify me to get a glimpse of the afterlife.

I tried to remember how I got here. I remembered Dawn, Giles, and the others. I remembered the vortex of colliding dimensions.

Glory.

That's when everything came back to me. I remember what the first Slayer had told me: that "death was my gift," and wherever I was, was…. what you get for giving gifts.

"Hello Buffy," the voice said again. That's when I became aware that I still had a body, not some floating spirit thingy. I was lying on the "floor" of the white room, I guess asleep, since the voice had just told me to wake up.

"Uh, hi," I finally responded, to no one (well there was no one I could see). Stood and took a good look around: white, 360 degrees.

"I'm dead," I said after I took in my surroundings. Then came then came the part I was dreading the most. "Am I in heaven," I asked the voice hesitantly.

The voice chuckled before answering: "No."

Ouch. A lifetime of slaying vamps and bagging demons, and not of my own choosing isn't enough….yet this soft white room didn't feel like hell. If it were hell, I would probably be locked in a room with Principal Snyder while I perpetually took the SATs. Still I was afraid to ask.

"Rest assured you're not in hell either," the voice said. I think I might have deflated, the way I had been holding my breath.

My eyes shifted from corner to corner, an attempt to find the source of the voice, "Then where am I?"

"Where is not applicable," the voice said dismissively. "Buffy Summers, you have been chosen"

"I've heard that one before," I grimaced.

"We require your assistance," the voice intoned, "on a matter of your particular calling."

"Don't you afterlife types have any respect for the phrase 'rest in peace'," I asked.

"'Rest in peace' is also not applicable," the voice responded quizzically. "It is not your time to 'rest' yet."

"Great. Just what I wanted to hear," I stated. "Let me ask: how many times must I die before I can 'rest in peace'."

"We require your assistance, Buffy Summers," the voice intoned once more. I could see that this was going nowhere fast.

I sighed, "What do you need me to do."

It was silent for a moment. I felt alone, as if the voice had left me, but as quickly as it left, it returned, speaking with a renewed fervor.

"Then you are ready," it said.

"Ready, what am I 'ready' for," I asked. "What's this big spooky mission?"

The voice softly laughed. "You'll know. When the time comes, you'll know."

Oh, the enigma.

"But, until that time comes," the voice continued, " you may find your…mind lacking."

That didn't sound so good, "Lacking? What the --"

"Goodbye, Buffy Summers," it cut me off.

At that moment I felt the strangest sensation, like the pinch of a thousand tiny hooks in my gut, pulling me downward. That would be that last I would see of this afterlife. Another whirlwind adventure for Buffy Summers.

* * *

Malcolm Reynolds would be the first to admit he had good days and bad days, with an overabundance of the latter and a considerable dearth of the former. Today happened to fall into the latter category, as most days did. It began with a set of extra-noisy sirens blaring, waking him from the few hours of sleep he had collected. As it turns out, Serenity seems to go through compression coils like Jayne go through grenades. Luckily, Kaylee had caught it before things got bad, and was able to keep the ship limping.

And it just so happened that they were limping past Persephone, dropping them right in Badger's lap, who subsequently bullied him to an undesirable cargo transport job.

Badger had his men promptly load crates of cargo onto Serenity as soon as they set down at Eavesdown Docks. Mal was not usually keen on the prospect of knowing what he was smuggling; a integral part of being in Mal's line of work, but Badger had pulled fast ones on him before. The entire crew had gathered around when they saw Mal lugging a crate to the center of the bay and fidgeting with the latch.

"Sure that's a good idea, sir," Zoe asked.

"Fairly certain it ain't," Mal responded, "but I'm not particularly keen on getting played by Badger…again."

"Good point," Wash responded for Zoe, then without skipping a beat he added, "What's inside?"

"Dunno," Mal answered.

"Oh this is just like Christmas," Kaylee chimed excitedly. "Now all's we need is a tree, some lights, maybe some garland."

"Mistletoe," River added vacantly while staring at Simon.

The doors to Inara's shuttle opened above them all. The companion made her way to the railing immediately. "Bit early for Christmas," Inara said with a smile, "What's going on?"

"Cargo," Jayne grunted.

"Oh. Of the not wobbly-headed geisha doll kind," Inara responded with an arched eyebrow.

"No," Mal said with smirk, "As it turns out, we're doing some honest smuggling of the—"

Mal waited a moment to finish that sentence as he kicked the lid of the crate off. Everyone immediately crooned in.

Jayne was the first to speak. "Merry Christmas," he said, like every last trace of air had been sucked from his lungs.

Inside the crate was a girl. Well a woman: blond hair, shoulder length, and she was naked, curled modestly into a fetal position.

The entire bay was silent, until Wash scratched his head.

"I'm sorry," He spoke up. "Is anyone else feeling déjà vu here?"


	2. Chapter 2

**CROSSING OVER - PART 2**

**DISCLAIMER: Insert disclaimer from part one here.**

* * *

Tendrils of steam curled off the box, disseminating their way around the stunned visages of Serenity's crew.

"Who….What…" Kaylee attempted to ask, though came of it.

River crooned her head in further to gain a better look of the girl in the box. She was just as stunned as the rest of the crew.

Wash removed his stare from the girl in the box and placed it on Simon. "You got another sister you didn't tell us about, doc?"

Simon was equally confused as the others, "I—I--."

"No ruttin' way she's related to the doc," Jayne cut in. "There's no likeness."

"Someone is being keenly observant," Inara stated with a smirk.

Jayne gave his best attempt at an intimidating stare at the companion but instantly returned to being transfixed by the girl in the box.

Zoe shot her eyes to Mal as the others began to mumble and theorize amongst themselves. Mal returned her look with a bleak frown.

"I didn't know Badger was into human trading," Zoe stated.

"He ain't," Mal answered. "We would've heard something about it by now." He paused. "Something's off here."

"Should we would notify Badger," Zoe asked.

"Well if our high class friend is privy to the contents of his cargo and he finds out that we opened said cargo when he specifically said not to… well I'd doubt he'd take kindly to that," Mal blanched. "And I am looking to get paid this time."

"Still," Mal began again, "We may want to get her and the box off ship…deny we ever received it."

"No way in Hell," Jayne said defensively.

All eyes darted to Jayne.

"Well, she's probably in some sort of trouble, probably runnin' from somethin'," Jayne stammered. "We should….protect her, like we do for the doc and his sis!"

"Wow," Inara said, impressed, "That's not a bad idea."

"And it could mean a boatload of more trouble," Mal countered.

"Cap, you ain't just gonna throw her off now are you," Kaylee asked innocently.

"I didn't say that!"

"Yes you did," Inara spat back, "just a minute ago!"

"I implied it as a possibility," Mal defended, "I never said –"

"Well we couldn't throw her off the ship in this condition," Simon chimed in. "She needs post-cryostasis medical attention. I would have to examine her."

Jayne looked miffed, "Why?"

Simon gave a blank stare at Jayne, "I just said—"

"This is insanity, Mal," Inara added.

"I agree," Mal said, escalating above her tone, "It's utter insanity that whenever I want to do a simple job to put food on the table and fuel in the ship, I always get more than I bargained for."

"You can't just wash your hands of something like this," Inara said indicating the box.

"I like the part where we don't throw the frozen naked girl off the ship," Wash stated.

Zoe gave a glanced at her husband, "Honey, don't—"

"Well I am the pilot," Wash said with an escalating tone. "Don't I get any sort of say!"

"No you don't, Wash," Mal said narrowing his gaze. "You don't get any say unless I say so."

"Do you hear this," Wash indignantly asked his wife.

"Honey, just let it go."

"I can't believe you're standing up for this!"

"Honey, I'm –"

"This ain't about pickin' sides, Wash," Mal cut back it.

"No, Mal it ain't," Jayne answered. "It's about that girl who's….who's…"

"Who's probably just as confused and upset by situation as we are," Inara finished for Jayne.

"Exactly," Jayne exclaimed.

"This ain't a debate," Mal answered.

Though as they debated, no one noticed the girl in the box beginning to rise as if from a deep sleep.

She let out a deep yawn, which caught everyone's attention. Everyone whipped their gazes back to the girl.

She girl continued to yawn as she stretched her arms into the air, giving the crew quite the view.

Jayne was spellbound.

The girl then began to rub her eyes and then for the first time, opened them.

Eight pairs of eyes stared back at her.

Her eyes widened as she looked down to notice what the crew, namely Jayne, had noticed.

"Oh," she said embarrassedly as she covered herself with her arms. "I…I…"

But the expression on her face began to shift, from embarrassment to uncertainty then fairly quickly to terror. She began to scream and claustrophobically claw at the box's sides, attempting to pull herself out.

"Simon," Mal called.

"I'm on it," Simon answered, implicitly understanding the captain's order. "She's experiencing a form of shock from the cryostasis."

"Now I'm really feeling the déjà vu," Wash exclaimed.

Inara rushed to the girl and placed her robe on the girl's shoulders. "How can I help," she asked Simon.

"And me too," Jayne offered with a strange, almost unguarded tone, "How can I help?"

Attention returned to the girl in the box. Mal once again turned to Zoe.

"I don't like this," Mal mumbled.

And before Mal could add to that statement, more trouble rained down, this time in the form of a blaring warning klaxon.

"What is it," Mal shouted above the din.

Wash shared an equally worried expression, "I dunno, but it doesn't sound good."

Instantly, Wash and Mal darted for the catwalk with Zoe close behind. With in moments they were in the cockpit. Wash had planted himself in his seat, flicking controls to find the source of the alarm.

After a few seconds of clicking, "It's an Alliance cruiser, inbound."

"Well, I'd rather not get caught in that mess," Mal said, and then, without missing a beat, hit the intercom. "Kaylee, I need you in the engine room, we're leaving."

"What about the girl," Kaylee's innocent voice returned.

"Have Simon take her to the infirmary."

Zoe arched an eyebrow. "So we are taking the girl with us."

"Not like I rightly have a choice right now," Mal shrugged as Wash began to punch some controls for take off. "I'm sure we'll have lots to ask her once she's not as…frozen."

"And Badger," Zoe asked. "What about him?"

"We do the job."

"Do you realize every time you say that, sir, someone gets shot," Zoe asked with a smirk.

Mal shook his head, "You too! I'm telling you there must be some sort of mutiny bug on by boat."

"It was just an observation, sir," Zoe smiled.

"Sure it is," Mal stated glumly. "Wash, lay in a course for Paquin. As soon as we pick up the shepherd, I'd like to get this cargo off my hands."

"You mean the girl," Wash asked quizzically.

"Yes," Mal shouted, "I mean no! Tamade, I don't know! I'll be in my bunk. Tell me when the girl is ready for questioning!"

With that, Mal left the bridge. Zoe and Wash tried not to snicker as they heard the captain's exasperated trudging to his quarters.


	3. Chapter 3

**CROSSING OVER - Part 3**

**Disclaimer: insert disclaimer from previous chapter here.**

**

* * *

**

Zoe followed Mal as he entered the cockpit.

"I'm just saying that freezing girls ain't exactly Badger's style," Zoe stated.

"No," Mal agreed, "but we both know that Badger can be a mite unpredictable."

Zoe smirked, "So can you, sir."

Mal shot a look to her, which only widened Zoe's smirk.

"I've got Badger on the line," Wash announced from his seat.

"Shiny," Mal stated, breaking his stare from Zoe.

Mal took a step to the console, staring at the scruffy image of Badger on the screen.

"Captain Reynolds," he began. "I heard you was taking an issue with my cargo."

"Oh, it's not really an issue," Mal commented sarcastically. "But I would take an issue if you put things in the cargo that I did not agree to transport."

"What are you playing at," Badger asked in annoyance.

"Don't play games with me, Badger," Mal said cheerily. "The girl."

"Girl?"

"You know; pretty, blond, and sitting naked in a box"

Badger snickered, "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about Mal. Of course, if a naked blond girl got mixed up in your cargo, I'd gladly take her off your hands."

Mal grimaced as he cut the call. The screen momentarily flashed white before emptying to black.

"I told you freezing girls wasn't his style," Zoe smirked.

* * *

Simon flicked the syringe twice before injecting the girl with the sedative. She laid on the exam table, tossing a little, as if she was having a nightmare in her sleep. But once Simon administered the drug, she relaxed.

Inara's frame leaned against the counter as she stared intently at the girl.

"I wonder where she came from," she said to no one in particular.

"Yeah," Jayne grunted in concurrence. He too was in the infirmary, leaning in the corner of the room closest to the door.

Simon returned the syringe to a tray at the side of the table. "I'll suppose we'll find out when she wakes up."

"You know," Jayne added, "I bet she's in some sort of trouble, just like you doc."

"Quite possibly," Simon answered objectively.

River, who had been seated on the counter in a fetal position, spoke up. "She needs to sleep. Been awake for too long, always on her feet. She's very tired, and they won't let her sleep."

All eyes darted to her.

Inara moved towards her, "River?"

"She doesn't belong here," River directed at Simon. "Please just make her go to sleep."

"River, she is asleep," Simon consoled.

"Why don't we stop it with the crazy talk, moonbrain," Jayne shot at River.

River began to mutter in Chinese unintelligible phrases before continuing, "They love her so much, they'll wake her up. Please, let her sleep."

"River," Simon called soothingly, placing his hands on her shoulders, "She's safe here. No one's going to hurt her."

"Take good care of her," River said with a fleeting smile. Slowly River slid herself from Simon's grip and slinked out of the infirmary.

"So she's in some sort of trouble, " Simon said as River slowly disappeared from sight. "Doesn't that mean more trouble for us?"

"Well, we all said the same thing when you came on board," Jayne answered, "but besides your sister being still crazy, everything turned out alright, didn't it?"

"He has a point," Inara stated.

"Still, I wouldn't want any unwanted attention."

"I think we all agree with you there doc," Jayne muttered.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think Mal knows what he's doing," Inara added, "He's kept you off the radar this long."

"Well there was that bounty hunter," Simon remarked ruefully.

"Yeah, but as far as we know, we got nothing to worry 'bout there. His freeze dried corpse is probably still drifting where we left him," Jayne grunted.

"Besides," Inara continued, "the Alliance hasn't even sent out a fresh bulletin for your arrest in months."

"That's very comforting," Simon answered in a fashion that suggested otherwise. "Still I doubt the captain's going to like the idea of having yet another Alliance fugitive on his ship."

"Mal tolerates a lot of things on his ship that he doesn't like," Inara remarked softly at first but then quickly added, "Take Jayne for instance."

"Good point," Jayned nodded.

"Well at any rate, she'll be fine until we pick up Shepherd Book on Paquin," Simon said, settling a bit.

"I hope that ain't your medical opinion, doc," Jayne glowered.

"Of course not," Simon defended, "She's stable, she'll be out for a few ours but medically she's fine."

Simon returned to the counter examining a readout he had printed out earlier.

"In fact, she'll be better than fine," Simon continued. "She's in remarkably good shape for having undergone chryostasis."

Jayne swallowed, "It doesn't take a medical genius to figure that one out."

"Doesn't take a medical genius to figure what out?"

Mal was standing in the doorway. His stance denoted that he had just arrived there.

"Nothin'," Jayne grunted.

Mal crossed his arms expectantly. "I'd like to have a word with the good doctor if you don't mind."

Jayne grunted in response once more as he made his exit, disappearing in the direction of the cargo bay. Inara too made her exit, casting Mal a wary glance that communicating multiple messages as her glances often did.

After they had vacated the infirmary, Mal shot his hands into his pockets.

"How is she, doc," he asked.

"Sedated," Simon answered as he began to remove his latex gloves. "She should remain that way for a couple hours at least."

"Hi there," Mal said cheerily.

It sounded utterly out of place to Simon who had his back to the captain and the examination table. But upon returning to the captain and the exam table he saw why the remark was warranted.

The girl was awake, and moreover alert, staring about the infirmary.

"Hi," she responded candidly. Slowly she began to remove the sheet when she noticed herself clothed only in Inara's robe. "I'm sort of, kind of, naked here."

"You are," Mal agreed. "But you're more clothed now then when we found you?"

The girl's brow furrowed. "What?"

"This isn't right," Simon said, though not in reference to the girl, but in reference to a readout he was examining.

"That is an abundantly true statement, doc," Mal grimaced.

"No I mean she shouldn't be awake now," Simon specified. "She should be asleep still. The sedative I administered should have kept her out for hours."

The girl rose slightly, "Sedative?"

"I don't understand how her body could have metabolized the drug that fast," Simon said to himself.

"What is going on here," the girl asked.

"I'm sorry," Mal said to her. "This clearly started on the wrong foot. I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds. You are?"

"Buffy," she answered, "Buffy Summers."

"It's good to meet you Buffy," Mal answered. "Simon, why don't you have Kaylee fetch her some clothes."

Simon nodded. Slowly, he let himself out of the infirmary.

"Can I ask you a question," Buffy said with a slight smile.

"Sure."

"What the hell is going on!"

Mal began to shake his head, groping for something to say. "That is a very good question! One I don't really have the answer for. We found you sitting frozen and, um, naked in a box, a box that we were to ship off planet. So, I guess you could say that I could ask you the same question."

Buffy shook her head as well. "A, B, C. 1, 2, 3. Buffy Summers. That's all I got."

"I'm sorry," Mal smiled. "This must all be very jarring for you. I suppose that I should begin. Welcome aboard."

"Aboard?"

"You're on my ship, Serenity."

* * *

"Some of 'Nara's stuff would be nicer, you know," Kaylee said as she rummaged through her things.

Simon waited in the doorway. His sense of core world propriety forbade him from entering a lady's room without invitation. "I know," he answered. "But I don't think he wanted to inconvenience her. Things are already tense enough between them."

Kaylee let her head sink. She had forgotten for a moment that Inara was leaving. As of yet, the drapes and atmosphere of her shuttle remained the same, so that she could continue to practice her trade, but many of the decorations, candles, and adornments were packed away in a storage crate in the cargo bay, waiting for the day that Serenity set down on some world with a companion outpost. The specifics of that day were not set into stone, and the captain and Inara infrequently argued about it.

She finally selected a set of clothes that by approximation she thought would fit the new arrival. "Here you are," she said handing him a stack. "I think these should work."

"Thanks," Simon nodded. "I should get these to the captain."

Simon began to make his way out. "Hey Simon," Kaylee stopped him with a hesitant smile on her face. "Cap'n said when we get to Paquin to pick up Shepherd Book we'll be staying for a little. We'll have a coupla days shore leave. So I was thinking, you know, maybe me and you could spend some time planet-side."

Simon returned the smile. "I'd like that. But we'll see how Buffy is doing first. Chryostasis can have a number of complications and I would like to be around if any come up."

Kaylee kept smiling, even though she felt much differently. "Of course."

Simon nodded and left for the infirmary.

* * *

Wash's face crinkled. "He's almost being—"

Zoe arched an eyebrow as she completed the though. "Civil?"

"Yeah."

They stood outside the infirmary staring through the glass. The captain was amiably in conversation with the new arrival.

"You know it's not just civil,' Wash remarked. "It's more than that. He's being—"

"Cordial?"

"Yeah. Have you ever seen him like this?"

Zoe smiled a little. "Once."

"When?"

"How's she doing?"

They turned to see Inara, who entered through the cargo bay entrance.

"She's awake," Zoe answered. "The captain is speaking with her now."

Inara joined them staring through the windows of the infirmary. The shut door and thick glass inhibited much of the sounds of Mal's conversation with the girl. However, it didn't take companion training to read Mal's body language. He was comfortable with her. He even laughed a couple of times from her responses. Inara was confounded, "It's almost like he's being—"

"Civil," Wash and Zoe completed in unison.

"Yeah. But more than that, Its like he's—"

Again, in unison, "Cordial?"

"I—Yes."

Simon caught this last bit of conversation as he returned from Kaylee's room with a small stack of clothes. "Funny, I seem to recall me getting punched and someone dying the last time we got a new arrival."

"No, no," Wash answered. "You're forgetting the time where me and Mal got knocked out, Inara fell and bumped her head and we almost got fried from the inside out."

"When did I bump my head," Inara asked. It took her a second to remember what Wash was talking about. "Right, I fell. I fell and bumped my head when I found Mal unconscious."

"Oh yes," Simon recalled with almost fond remembrance, "I almost forgot about Saffron." Simon knocked on the door to the infirmary and Mal answered. He exchanged a hushed "thank you" with Simon before returning to Buffy.

"Don't worry," He told her. "We'll sort through this mess."

"Thanks," she answered.

Simon handed her the stack of clothing and lowered a series of blinders over the infirmary windows so she could change in privacy before he joined the rest of the crew outside the infirmary.

Zoe arched an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Well what," the captain shrugged.

"The girl," Wash answered. "There was civil-ness going on there and you know I just can't stand for that kind of behavior. Especially in front of my wife."

"Oh, no," Mal groaned. "Here we go with the chain-yankin' again."

"Well while we're at it," Simon chimed in, "we might as well address the indecent cordiality going on here as well."

Wash flashed Simon a thumbs-up and mouthed "good one," but Mal was too busy burying his face in his hand to notice.

"She's just a frightened girl who does know a damn thing about the world," Mal answered.

"Last time you said that you got yourself and my husband knocked out, Inara injured, and the ship stolen almost," Zoe reminded him.

Wash frowned, "Yeah and that was no fun. She have a name?"

"Her name is Buffy," Mal answered.

"Buffy? What kind of a name is that," Wash snickered.

"Honey, your name is Hoban," Zoe said, deadpan.

"So?"

The doors to the infirmary slid open. Buffy was wearing a loose-fitting maroon top and a set of Kaylee's grease-stained overalls. She smiled a little as she adjusted her hair. Mal returned the smile and joined her in the doorway.

"Everyone, this is Buffy," Mal introduced.

"Hi," she said softly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Wash smiled as he took her hand. "The name is Hoban Washburn," he said as he quickly cast a glance back to Zoe who snickered a little. "Everyone just calls me Wash."

"Wash," Buffy nodded. "Got it."

Mal motioned to Zoe, "That back there is Zoe, my first mate and Wash's blushing bride."

Zoe glared at Mal for a second before addressing Buffy, "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks."

"Over here we have Inara," Mal introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Buffy," Inara smiled as she took Buffy's hand. "I trust you'll enjoy your time aboard."

"And of course you've already met the doctor, Simon," Mal directed.

"If you would like, we could run some tests, see if we could help you with the amnesia," Simon offered.

"I'd like that," Buffy answered.

"Well that's everybody here for now," Mal said concluding the introductions. "Simon, why don't you show Buffy to one of the passenger dormitories and get her set up there. Maybe you could introduce her to the rest of the crew?"

"Alright."

"Shiny."

"Right this way," Simon directed.

As Buffy passed Mal she smiled. "Thanks again. For everything."

"Not a problem," Mal returned warmly.

Buffy continued on to join Simon.

"Oh, and Simon," Mall called. Mal motioned him in closer and whispered, "make sure you introduce her to Jayne last."

Simon smiled, "Right."

Simon escorted Buffy from the infirmary, trying his best to make small talk.

"Watch the cordiality," Wash jeered. "Wouldn't want a pleasant man for a captain. No, we could never have that."

Mal scratched his forehead. "Wash, who's flying the ship?"

Wash shook his head and laughed a little as he repeated the question. "The auto-pilot is."

"Then I guess I should be paying the ship your cut," Mal said.

"There we go," Wash exclaimed, "for a minute there I thought we lost the captain we all knew and loved."

Zoe snickered a little as she followed her husband out of the common area and back to the upper deck.

That left Inara and Mal alone in the sitting area.

"Have any fun quips you would like to add," Mal asked, tetchily.

"None, Captain," Inara replied formally, "but I would like to discuss our arrangement."

Mal slumped into the couch facing the infirmary. "Alright."

"I want to start by saying that I stand by the decision I made over two months ago," Inara began. "And yet I am still here."

"Not my problem," Mal shrugged. "We stopped on plenty of worlds with companion enclaves. Greenleaf, Beaumonde, New Melbourne, Persephone. You didn't seem overly anxious to leave when we stopped on each of those."

"You would know why if you would just give me the time of day, Mal," Inara spat. "You've been avoiding me!"

Mal bolted up. "I've been avoiding you? Whenever we land on a moon with barely a settlement you're off the ship engaged. And when we're en route to another world, you're sealed in your shuttle, 'selecting clients.' Tell me is business that good?"

Inara opened her mouth to speak before Mal cut her off. "Don't answer that. You hardly ever take meals now with the rest of the crew, or at least when I am there, so you tell me, Inara, who is avoiding who?"

She ignored the question. "The Guild has given has ordered me to one of the border world houses. Apparently my experience aboard Serenity has given me the perspective necessary for a teaching position in a less enlightened world. I got a wave from an old friend of mine, Sheydra. She runs a training house on one of the border worlds near New Hall." She swallowed, "Mal, I'm taking the offer. I'll charter a flight myself if you can't make a way there."

Mal was silent for a moment. "New Hall is quite a hike."

"Another excuse, Mal," Inara interjected. She bit her tongue, mentally berating herself for allowing her emotions to impair her judgment.

"I understand you have to conduct a business," Inara stated in a level tone. "But for all this time we've been able to run our businesses in harmony together. Rarely have our interest ever clashed in this matter. You're resourceful, Mal. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make our interests one in the same in this matter."

She waited a moment for Mal's response, but it never came. She left him in the common area alone. Nothing could be said as he slumped back into the couch, letting his head sink into his palms.


End file.
